Made from Scratch by Sandra Lee

train wreckby PhredFan

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08/23/2009: This book is full of inconsistencies. Even the title is a misnomer "Made From Scratch," from the queen of 70% prepared 30% fresh?? The reader is asked to acknowledge that while Sandra lived in poverty, the family took a trip to DisneyLand? Supposedly having worked for such a long time without a vacation Sandra goes on a cruise with her grandmother? (I should be suffering so!) While on the cruise she shares a recollection of their vacation to Hawaii together--last year! I realize the book is a memoir, not an autobiography, but the continuity/believability is so poor it wouldn't even pass as a fairy tale. Reads like 70% self-serving fiction, 30% fact.

I Also Recommend: Living, Loving & Learning, Love: What Life is All About, Papa, My Father: A Celebration of Dads.

Made From Scratchby Vicki-D

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12/15/2008: There were many questions in this book I wish were answered. Sandra Lee was known for Kurtain Kraft back in the 90's and I was excited to see how she went from curtains to cooking. I didn't find the answer here.Sandra has a tough start with her mother and father abandoning her and her little sister with there Grandmother. From age 3-6 they live with Grandma and learn everything she would need to know for the rest of her life (how to budget, use coupons) her mother and new step-father pick them up when she is 6and take them back where they move to Washington and live a sad life for some years,her mother suffering from mental-illness eventually she leaves to live with her long-lost Father, then trouble broos there too, she goes off to college, then meets a boyfriend who hits her for staying out late 1x (don't worry she hits him back and leaves after that incident) then she moves to Malibu, starts a business, it fails then she marries a very rich man, who gives her everything, when he has her sign a prenup before the marriage she starts to fall out of love but gets married anyway, as she travels to the best places she craves to make homemakers all over the world find quicker ways to make meals, SUPRISE- her husband doesn't understand her anymore, after a few weeks at Le Courdan Bleu she decides to do semi-homemade, which simply is a short cut on existing recipes(example, when making a Cake, use Wilton's BLUE food coloring in the frosting for an ocean themed cake) she decides to do a cooking show in New York (when she is married and lives in LA)she divorces, moves out of her Beverly Hills Mansion and relocates into an ocean front home, buy back her company from the people she had signed on with. Tragedy? I'm not sure. The saddest part is when Grandma dies, however Sandra is not there, also when her mom sends a heart-felt letter but she never responds to her mother with the mental illness. Book writer she is not, woman who finds short cuts to make alot of money she is. You can easily read this book in 1 day.